


my faith in skipping stones

by earlymorningechoes



Category: Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: Comfort, Competition, Established Relationship, F/F, Video & Computer Games
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-22
Updated: 2018-08-22
Packaged: 2019-06-30 22:58:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,069
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15761445
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/earlymorningechoes/pseuds/earlymorningechoes
Summary: Sam knows that Nadia needs to take a break, and is not at all surprised she chooses to play some video games.





	my faith in skipping stones

**Author's Note:**

> Title from the song "Here is Home" by Ryn Weaver.

The door to Nadia’s quarters whispers open when she steps out of the elevator, and she instinctively reaches for a gun she doesn't have because it shouldn't be unlocked and the lights definitely shouldn't be on.

“Don't worry, it's just me,” comes Sam’s voice, muffled from behind the bathroom door. “I didn't mean to startle you, sorry.”

“It’s fine.” Nadia sinks onto the end of the bed, rubbing her eyes with her fists like a child. “I'm too tired to do anything, Sam, I didn't expect you to be up here.”

The bathroom door slides open with another quiet hiss, and Sam steps out not in lingerie but in a pair of shorts and one of Nadia's old Zakera Point Community College t-shirts. She joins Nadia on the bed, leaning their heads together.

“I wasn't asking for anything,” she says, squeezing Nadia's hand. “I just thought you might like some company.”

Nadia’s first instinct is to shake her head, to say _no, it's fine, I'm fine_ , but as soon as she opens her mouth, Sam is already giving her a narrow-eyed glare. What she actually says is “yeah, some company would be great,” and Sam's glare softens to a crinkly-eyed smile.

“Glad you agree,” she says, flopping backwards on the bed. “Any thoughts on what you'd like to do with that company?” There's still not a hint of innuendo in her voice, and the question feels like a safe haven after a day of fielding arguments and casualty reports with numbers bigger than Nadia can conceptualize.

Rubbing her thumb over the rest of her fingers, she ponders the question. “I don't know how I want to answer that,” she says, leaning back until she's lying next to Sam. “I thought I just wanted sleep, but it's nice to be awake with you here.”

Sam smiles again, soft and warm, and presses a kiss to the top of Nadia's head. “We could just go to sleep, you know. It's not like you don't need more of it.”

“There is that,” Nadia agrees, “but I don't think it's what I'm after tonight.” She looks around the room, trying to find inspiration, and her gaze lingers on the computer console perched precariously on her desk. Wriggling out of Sam’s arms, she goes to retrieve it and sets it on the coffee table, shoving aside the chessboard to make room for it and dropping cross-legged to the floor to fiddle with the display settings.

“Ever played Mario Kart?” she asks, already feeling her mood lift. There's no response, and she glances up to find Sam affecting a look of exaggerated offense.

“She asks if I've ever played _Mario Kart_ ,” Sam says dramatically, now that her audience is looking, her eyes dancing. “ _Mario Kart_. As if any self-respecting gamer could get this far in life without playing Mario Kart!”

Nadia snorts and looks up sideways. “Self-respecting gamer, huh?” she asks, and Sam loses the battle with her laughter. Giggling, she nods, and Nadia sets the console to project the game onto the darkened display case.

“Best two out of three, then?” She syncs her omnitool to the console and turns up the volume, dancing to the theme music as she knee-walks back to the bed.

Sam opens her own omnitool, narrowing her eyes in a way that's meant to be vaguely threatening. “Famous last words, Commander.”

“That's what you think, Specialist,” Nadia shoots back, grinning like she hasn't in weeks. They each pick characters and carts, and Nadia sets the race parameters for three races on random courses. While the console thinks, she leans her head on Sam's shoulder again, quiet and familiar.

The first race loads, and Sam's gasp of outrage is loud enough to be heard over Nadia's excited cackle. “Rainbow Road? Really?”

“I set it to random!” Nadia protests, leaning forward so she's at a better angle. “Apparently we’re destined to be in space right now.” They both settle in, staring intently at the screen for the countdown and zooming away as soon as they're able. Nadia skids around the first corner, already inching ahead of the pack, but Sam shoots right off the unguarded edge and Nadia doesn't even try to muffle another laugh.

“Hey, I've never used my omnitool as a controller before!” Sam cries defensively, speeding off again when she's back on the track.

Nadia slides off at another corner, swearing at a computer player passing her by. “Really? I thought everybody had.”

Sam flies over a jump, zooming past another computer player. “Not me - my dad’s a fan of having an actual controller in your hands.”

They clear all three sections of the track quickly, and Nadia throws her hands in the air with a whoop. “I win!” The bed creaks as she dances in her seat.

“I've still got two races to fix that,” Sam says. The next course loads, and she sits up a little straighter. “This one. This one you'll see who's boss.”

“That sounds remarkably like insubordination, Specialist,” Nadia deadpans, so convincingly that nerves spike through Sam's stomach. But she bumps their shoulders together, and Nadia’s grin banishes any stray anxious thoughts.

The race isn't as eventful as the first, and Sam has far less trouble keeping her cart on the track. Cheering, she swerves across the finish line just a hair in front of Nadia. “First place! Beat you. Nothing to it.”

She’s barely stopped laughing since they started playing, but somehow there’s even more of a giggle in Nadia’s “winner take all, then?” as their final race loads. It’s another quick one, and she spins across the finish line miles ahead. The bed bounces with another enthusiastic victory dance, until Sam finishes herself and looks up through her eyelashes.

“You let me win the second one,” she says, a hint of a smile sneaking onto her face.

Nadia nods, wrapping her arms around Sam’s waist and toppling them both over to lie on the bed. “Of course, milady. Anything for you,” she says.

Sam grins into Nadia’s shoulder. “I think I’ll stick with chess. Then I can beat you fair and square.”

Kissing her temple, Nadia laughs again. “That you can.” She sobers, so quickly that Sam looks up, slightly alarmed. “No, don’t worry. I just wanted to say thank you, for this. I needed it.”

“You did,” Sam agrees, and tightens her grip for another hug. “Glad I could help.”


End file.
